MELANOCYTE CULTURE & TRANSPLANT

MELANOCYTE CULTURE & TRANSPLANT:

Vitiligo (Leucoderma) is common disease & there are many misconceptions about the causes and cure about vitiligo. IIAM Groups Skin & Laser Clinic at Pune provides best treatment to cure vitiligo in Pune. We suggest melanocyte culture and transplant for those patients who have stable vitiligo with larger surface area and not responding to other treatments.It gives early results than medical treatment.

Is vitiligo surgery safe, painless & cost effective?

Melanocyte culture & transplant is the procedure in which melanocytes (black pigment cells) of skin are separated from skin graft taken from normal skin and they are cultured and transplanted onto the white patch. (Vitiligo/Leucoderma). It is more advanced surgical treatment and done in stable vitiligo (Leucoderma) when the white patches are not increasing in number & size from more than 6 months to 1 year. After transplanting melanocytes to white patch the cells get activated and produce the pigment in white patch. This procedure gives excellent cosmetic results.

How melanocyte transplant done?

A thin piece of skin (Skin Graft) is taken from normal skin usually from thigh called as donor area by giving local anesthesia. This donor skin is processed by a solution of particular enzyme to separate the cells (melanocytes) from skin to make the suspension. This suspension is rich in melanocytes which is useful to produce the pigmentation (normal skin color) in vitiligo (Leucoderma) patch. The area is to be treated (white patch) called as recipient area is mildly abraded under local anesthesia and this suspension of melanocytes is applied on that white patch. Dressing is kept for 7 days. Healing and repigmentation process starts immediately and final result takes 3 – 4 months.

In what conditions it is done?

This surgery is done in stable vitiligo means when depigmented (white) patches are not increasing in size & number for long period & not responding to medical & other treatment.It is done when only 2-3 patches are present & patient want early result.

Is melanocyte transplant safe, painless & cost effective?

• It is very safe & painless as done under local anesthesia.

• It is also very cost effective.

• As such there are no side effect

What is time duration & how many treatments will be required?

This procedure usually takes 3 – 4 hours. One session is sufficient but may need one more session if area of white patch is too large.

What are the advantages of this procedure?

• This procedure gives fast and best cosmetic results.

• It is day care procedure & does not require hospital stay.

• One treatment is sufficient for good result.

• Large area can be treated in one session.

• No scarring at operative site.

What are the precautions of pre & post treatment?

• As such there are no special precautions of pre treatment.

• Mild pain will be there on both sites for 2-3 days which is manageable with medicines.

• Dressing is kept for 8-10 days .So avoid water contact & take proper care of wound.

• Wounds usually heal in 7-10 days.

• Don’t move operated part too much & also avoid any friction so that grafts will remain properly on site.